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Thursday, August 30, 2012

The most powerful newspaper in the world describes Mrs. Romney with violent, deranged hate speech. The Times believes the only way its views can prevail is to silence legitimate political expression of others:

Rosenthal also managed to refer to mother-of-five Mrs. Romney as a "diva." Imagine the Times's outrage if a conservative ever dared to refer to First Lady Obama in such terms. Here's Rosenthal's reprehensible line:

"The genius of Mrs. Romney’s diva performance was the way she smiled so warmly as she delicately slipped the knife into President Obama."

Not only was Rosenthal's depiction vile and violent, it was so clearly at odds with the reality that those of us in the hall or watching at home saw and heard. Despicable."

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Ed. note: The NY Times has a serious problem with opinions that differ from its own, perhaps so serious that medical attention is needed. Didn't they hear Obama call for 'civility' in political rhetoric during a prime time tv speech about a year and a half ago? Hopefully NY Times employees are aware that ugly and violent reactions lie close to the surface of their Editorial Page Editor.

'The normal procedure after a closer messes up'

"Unsolicited, Rafael Soriano wanted to make it clear that he didn't duck the media after blowing Monday's save. He said that he waited for Yankees PR director Jason Zillo to come retrieve him from the Yankees player lounge.
"He knows where he can find me," Soriano said. "After the game, I wait like 10 minutes in my seat. I did not see him come to me. Maybe the time that he goes there, maybe he was late. Every time when you guys want to talk to me, he asks me."
The normal procedure after a closer messes up, like Soriano did with his three-run homer to Colby Rasmus on Monday, is you wait by your locker and talk to the media.
The PR director is not normally involved.
Besides the rather large paycheck, being the closer can be a thankless job, but Mariano Rivera never failed to talk when he didn't do it well. When a closer has a 1-2-3 ninth, it is usually not news.
"Maybe you guys want to talk, maybe not," Soriano said. "I wait for [Zillo] and he did not come to me." "...

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Per Suzyn on Yankee radio post-game, Mariano Rivera was at the stadium on Tuesday and spoke with Soriano.

"After blowing a save chance on Monday night, Rafael Soriano redeemed himself with a 1-2-3 ninth inning tonight to record his 34th save in 37 tries.
Soriano admitted to taking the mound with a little bit of hot blood as he was anxious to atone. He also got some words of advice pre-game from Mariano Rivera.

“He told me I was throwing too many sliders,” Soriano said. “(Monday night), I think I threw five sliders in a row. Mariano said, ‘Right now, your fastball is your best pitch.’ So I listened to him and tonight was the best I’ve thrown this year.”

In 11 total pitches last night, Soriano threw eight fastballs and three sliders."...

"Soriano blamed PR director Jason Zillo for the no-show, which wasn't exactly taking responsibility for his own actions. Rivera emphasized to Soriano that he has to speak in good times and especially bad.
"Hey, 'What did I tell you last year?'" Soriano said Rivera told him. "You have to talk to these guys. Sometimes you don't have to talk to them because nobody wants to know. So when that thing happened like that, 'Wait and see, because they are going to want to talk to you.' I said, 'Alright, bro, I know you told me last year.'

I make a mistake because Jason make a mistake."

Girardi, as is his custom, defended his closer for his imperfect all-around performance Monday.
"Every once in awhile, they are not going to have that perfect day," Girardi said."...

Friday, August 24, 2012

8/24/12, NY Post, Phil Mushnick, "For what it’s worth, Phil Hughes’ media accessibility and gentlemanly comportment remains constant, after wins and losses, good games and bad. And that should be worth something....

Colon cops: Just use his head!

For those who can apply common sense to common physiology, they’d know that it’s almost impossible to conclude Bartolo Colon began juicing just this season.

After all, as noted here last season when he pitched for the Yankees, whose head grows (and grows and grows) well after entering adulthood? Not yours, not mine.

One comparative, neck-up look at Colon photos from early in his career was all it took to reasonably conclude something was up, that his head was becoming the size of a medicine ball.

Also makes you wonder why a valued pitcher such as Colon is annually so expendable, having played for eight teams in the last 10 years while going 106-81. Did teams figure it was just a matter of time before what was impossible to ignore showed up in a test?"

Rhode Island deal with Schilling's 38 Studios focused mostly on hoped for job creation in state with 2nd highest unemployment

"The government deal that guaranteed a $75 million loan for former baseball star Curt Schilling's video game company focused almost exclusively on how quickly the firm would bring jobs to Rhode Island and overlooked requirements for attracting outside investment or other steps that could have helped protect the public's money.

The state's agreement with 38 Studios in 2010 demanded job creation -- and virtually nothing else -- at a pace described as aggressive by both former employees and those familiar with the video game industry. And Schilling's firm hired even more quickly than the state required, draining its resources faster than if it had grown at a pace more typical of start-ups.

While Rhode Island was by far the company's biggest investor, officials did not demand a seat on its board or require that 38 Studios raise outside capital according to any timetable, although the firm's success hinged on its ability to bring in the tens of millions of dollars needed to finish its game....

"I think it's kind of stupid for anybody who isn't familiar with the industry to invest in it," said gaming industry analyst Michael Pachter, of the firm Wedbush Securities. "...Obviously they thought they were buying jobs."

Schilling's firm laid off its nearly 300 employees in Rhode Island in May and filed for bankruptcy protection in June. The state, which has the country's second-highest unemployment rate, is likely on the hook for more than $100 million, including the $75 million in bonds it floated as part of the deal, plus interest....

Known for his grit and gusto, Schilling became a Boston Red Sox hero in 2004, pitching on an injured ankle that stained his sock with blood in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. The team went on to win the World Series.

He founded 38 Studios -- initially Green Monster Games -- in Massachusetts two years later, naming it for his jersey number. He reportedly met Rhode Island's governor at the time, Donald Carcieri, during a film fundraiser at Schilling's home in March 2010, and the loan guarantee deal that lured him to Rhode Island took shape quickly over the next few months....

The EDC built into the deal a $7,500 per-job penalty if 38 Studios fell short of its hiring requirements. The company brought on workers even faster than estimated, according to the EDC, and some at 38 Studios worried the growth was too fast for the company's good -- and ultimately not sustainable, given its difficulty attracting investment....

The firm got nearly $13 million from the state when the loan guarantee agreement was finalized in November 2010 and $9.4 million more in December when it announced a move date, according to the EDC.

It received $17.2 million in April 2011 after creating at least 80 jobs with a salary of at least $67,500. It was estimated the firm would hire another 45 employees by November 2011, but it reached that mark in April as well, the EDC said, allowing it to access $4.2 million more.

The company then got $1.6 million at the start ofNovember 2011 for creating at least an additional 125 jobs. That mark had been expected at the end of January this year....

By the end of 2011, the firm had spent all the money due it under the agreement -- nearly $50 million, an audit conducted for the state by Braver PC found. The rest of the money was kept in reserve accounts....

Barry Gilbert, of Boston-based Strategy Analytics, prepared a report for the EDC in 2010 assessing the video game market and the potential benefits and risks of the deal. It noted that 38 Studios' focus on a single game, code-named "Copernicus," left "little wiggle room" and was analogous to an "all-in" hand.

Gilbert said he was surprised to learn the loan guarantee program had no caps.

That seemed to stem, Gilbert said, from desperation for economic development, paired with excitement over Schilling's involvement and a belief that "38 Studios was the guy that was going to carry the torch and bring them to the top of the mount.""

There are the supporting members of the structure, too: Two other Chicago residents, Stanton Cook, chairman of the Cubs, and William Bartholomay, chairman of the Atlanta Braves, and others in relative geographical proximity, Carl Pohlad of Minnesota and Douglas Danforth of Pittsburgh, and by extension to the other end of Pennsylvania, Giles, in Philadelphia.

Wayne Huizenga of the Florida Marlins, Jerry McMorris of the Colorado Rockies, Drayton McLane of Houston and Peter Magowan of San Francisco don't operate anywhere near those bodies of water. Mike Ilitch of Detroit is closer, but he attends so few owners' meetings some of his colleagues might not recognize him.

"Bud operates with an executive council that's a flat laydown," said one owner, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "He wants people on that council who feel the same way. When you put two new people on the council, you get Giles and Reinsdorf. Do you get McLane, Huizenga, Ilitch? No way. The new owners are upset with the process."

Referring to the rapid return of Giles and Reinsdorf to the council, the owner said, "This is a shifting mass of consensus that keeps going all the time.""...

In Suzyn Waldman's post game report she said this is only the second time Ichiro has been in a national ESPN game, incredible considering how long he has played. Ichiro appeared in post season one year, 2001.

"I'm glad I did it," Guillen said. "It was fun. I think mostly they wanted to know who Ozzie is."

The manager said he spoke to the gathering about his background and his experience in the game for over an hour, and he took questions that were sometimes tough, he said. The answers were honest.

"I like when people in this age like to talk about baseball," Guillen said. "We let the people who love baseball get the chance to know us better, and I think that's great. Great opportunity for both. A lot of people out there, they don't know who I am.""

"For years, climate scientistshave been warning that dangerous heat waves -- as well as prolonged droughts -- are likely to become more common, especiallyif we don't dramatically reduce carbon pollution. According to a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), it's beginning to look like the future is now....

Here are links citing CO2 drop in the US and that the subject of CO2 in the US is now moot. It may or may not be an issue in other countries, but it's not in the US-- if it ever was. Also included are links about CO2 offsets or "carbon" offsets:

"In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years, and government officials say the biggest reason is that cheap and plentiful natural gas has led many power plant operators to switch from dirtier-burning coal.

Many of the world's leading climate scientists didn't see the drop coming, in large part because it happened as a result of market forces rather than direct government action against carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.

Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, said the shift away from coal is reason for "cautious optimism" about potential ways to deal with climate change."...

A 2011 report noted EIA results through 2009, US CO2 emissions dropped steadily since 1999. If, hypothetically, US temperatures have been on the increase, such couldn't possibly be due to US carbon dioxide emissions:

"The Small Business Administration estimates that compliance with such regulations costs the U.S. economy more than $1.75 trillion per year — about 12%-14% of GDP, and half of the $3.456 trillion Washington is currently spending. The Competitive Enterprise Institute believes the annual cost is closer to $1.8 trillion when an estimated $55.4 billion regulatory administration and policing budget is included."...

The figure, from a recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), shows that despite another year of $1 trillion deficits, the Obama administration continues to pursue its policy of using foreign aid funds for anti-global warming measures – known as the Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI).

for the first time in 62 years.

A combination of boomingdemand from emerging marketsand faltering domestic activity meansthe U.S. is exporting more fuel than it imports,

upending the historical norm.

According to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Tuesday, the U.S. sent abroad 753.4 million barrels of everything from gasoline to jet fuel in the first nine months of this year, while it imported 689.4 million barrels."...

"But there is one group (other than the Russians and the Gulf Arabs and the Iranians) that isn’t sharing in the general joy: the greens. For them, the spectacle of a looming world energy crisis was good news. It justified huge subsidies for solar and wind power (and thereby guaranteed huge fortunes for clever green-oriented investors). ...But those glory days are over now, and the smarter environmentalists are bowing to the inevitable."...

10/24/10, "'It is wholly inappropriate that the Palace should have such a direct interest in a subject like windfarms, given Prince Charles's obsessionwith renewable energy. It raises the question as to whether he is seeking to increase his own

Bobby Valentine signs for fans at Yankee Stadium

Ichiro settles on apartment in same building as Curtis Granderson

8/16/12, NY Post, "After an exhaustive apartment hunt, new Yankees starIchiro Suzuki — with his wife, Yumiko Fukushima, and their dog, a Shiba Inu named Ikkyu — moved into a high-floor residence at the Laurel on East 67th Street over the weekend. The four-bedroom, 3 1/2-bathroom corner unit was listed for $40,000 per month and came fully furnished.

Fellow Yankee Curtis Granderson is also in the building, as Gimme Shelter exclusively reported.

The LEED-certified, 31-story building boasts 12,000 square feet of amenities, including a bi-level fitness and triathlon-training center. Spies have already spotted Fukushima, a former Japanese sports reporter, in the gym."

"Compass got permission to air a selection of Angels games nationally using their own announcers - similar to the Compass deal with the Dallas Cowboys. WFAN immediately signed on to be the flagship, presumably to prevent ESPN-NY from being the flagship. However, Chernoff said he would only air the games when the Mets game were off. He wasnt going to cut off Mets postgame talk show for the Angels game. SO believe it or not, last night was the first of I only think 3 games. Note: 1130AM is airing the rest of the package. I have no problem with this. The 10pm slot does not matter as far as a ratings book goes; and quite frankly at 11pm do I want to hear Richard Neer and callers or a live game. I choose game and so did Chernoff. Somers was on from 6:30-9:45 as usual."

Hartlaub chose Flemming as his own fave and admitted that many readers considered the pick "anything from premature to a horrific insult to the baseball gods." Still, he reasoned, "Flemming beat Mike Krukow, the most polarizing figure in Bay Area broadcasting, based on the comments."

Sid Rosenberg back on South Florida radio Monday, August 13

"WMEN is counting on Rosenberg's fans — and his haters — to boost ratings, general manager Steve Lapa said.

Lapa said WMEN, which airs New York Yankees baseball and sometimes Giants and Jets football, is a better fit for Rosenberg. Rosenberg's show has a herd of loyal advertisers, so almost 95 percent of the morning airtime has sold, Lapa said.

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Update, 8/14/12, Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling, both friends of Marvin Hamlisch,
dedicated tonight's game to the memory of Mr. Hamlisch who was also a great Yankee fan and visitor to the Yankee radio booth. Suzyn and John remembered the composer during their post-game show re-cap, tonight's game 3-0 Yankees over Texas. Suzyn mentioned the memorial service for Hamlisch that took place in Manhattan today. It sounded like both she and John attended the service.

Q: You once went to a Yankees fantasy camp and even stroked a single off the immortal Whitey Ford. Would you have traded your fame as a composer to have been, say, a star center fielder for the Yankees?

A: There you go. Oh, yeah. Are you kidding? That would have been it for me. That's the thing I love most. It's funny about me and sports. I don't like every sport, but baseball I do love and just love watching it."...

Ed. note: Marvin Hamlisch joined Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling in the Yankee radio booth during a spring training game a few years ago. UPDATE: During tonight's Yankee radio broadcast v Detroit, Suzyn and John noted the untimely passing of Marvin Hamlisch. Suzyn said he was a good friend of both John and herself, had been in the Yankee radio booth numerous times over the years, was a great Yankee fan, and a great musical talent. Suzyn said she knew Marvin from both her careers, having been in musical theater before her Yankee career.

Broxton has pitched in three games for the Reds since they got him from the Royals on July 31, and the burly right-hander has not surrendered a run.

"As a bullpen, you never can have too many arms," he said. "It helps out the starters. The starters only have to worry about going six, maybe seven innings, and we just keep running out there and doing our job. It really makes the game shorter.""...

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Baseball blog & comments on XM MLB 89 and others that "define the daily discourse" for money in order to please Bud Selig or vanity publisher bosses. I agree with Doug Pappas' statement: "Any writer meeting the Commissioner’s standards of ‘good journalism' should be fired.” I'm also a 'Saves Scholar.' Not affiliated with XM.